Automatic control for internal combustion engine fuel supply means



April 12,1932. R. E. WING 1,853,950

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FUEL SUPPLY MEANS Filed March 5, 1929 INVENTQR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs ROY E. W'ING, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN Application filed March 5, 1928. Serial No. 344,456.

This invention relates enerally to means for controlling the supp y of fuel such as gasoline to internal combustion engines of,

motor vehicles and consists of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the past many fatalities have been caused from persons being overcome by carbon monixide gas delivered from the exhausts of motor vehicles. A research into the causes of such fatalities has disclosed that many if not all of them have occurred through the occupants of the garage or motor vehicle as the case may be, being overcome and rendered semi-unconscious from the escaping gases and thereby unable while in this partially paralyzed condition to cut off the motor that was producing the deadly gas.

Carbon monoxide, being odorless is imossible to detect through the natural senses of the human body and it is also a recognized fact that it may be present in sufficient quantity to partially paralyze the motive functions of the body without necessarily being 'present in enough volume to cause fatal results. However, if the gas is not allowed to continue to generate for any great length of time these fatalities can be minimized. In fact, fatal accidents have occurred to occupants of motor vehicles who have been overcome while parked with the motor running, examples of these being in the daily newspapers, and in most instances these could have been prevented if the motor had not continued to operate while the gearshift lever was in neutral position until the engine stopped through the depletion of the gas supply from the main gas tank.

Thus it will be seen from the above explanation that there is a dangerous deficiency in the present automobile construction and it is of such a serious nature that steps should be taken to. overcome as far as possible these preventable accidents.

My invention therefore is based on the theory that the engines of motor vehicles should not be permitted to operate or idle indefinitely with the gearshift lever in neutral after the vehicle itself has been brought to a standstill. One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a motor vehicle with a safety device embodying my invention applied thereto; bl Figure 2 is a detail view of the valve assem- Figure 3 is a detail view of the rocker.

Referring now to the drawings,1 is the dash, 2 is the flooring, and 3 is the toe-board riser of a vehicle body. 4 is an internal combustion engine in advance of the dash 1 and having acarbureter 5 at one side thereof, 6 is a vacuum tank supported on the dash 1, 7 is a conduit for conveying fuel from a suitable source such as a main supply tank (not shown) to the vacuum tank 6, 8 is a conduit for conveying the fuel from the tank 6 to the carburetor 5, 9 is the usual transmission or gearshift lever adjustably mounted in a bracket 10 on the flooring 2, and 11 is the usual starter pedal mounted on the toe-board riser 3.

The foregoing parts are more or less conventional and may be found on most any modern motor vehicle but insofar as I am aware none of these parts has been utilized in the past alone or in combination with any control means for automatically cutting off the supply of fuel to the carburetor as a safety measure to prevent asphyxiation of persons in the vehicle. Therefore, my invention is designed to embrace any means that may be used to automatically cut off the supply of fuel to the engine at the expiration of a predetermined period of time after the motor vehicle has been brought to a standstill, and is especially designed to embrace any means used in conjunction with standard parts, such as the gear shift levers of motor vehicles for accomplishing the desired results. As shown, 12 is a valve in a suitable enlargement 13 of the conduit 8 for controlling the flow of fuel through the conduit from the vacuum tank 6 to the carburetor 5. 14 is a rotatable shaft journaled in the enlargement 13 and adapted to actuate the valve 12. 15 is a swinging operating arm for the shaft 14 and having one end rigidly connected thereto, 16 a rocker of substantially Y formation having the'stem 17 of the Y pivoted on a suitable bracket18 depending from the dash 1 and having the upstanding arms 19 and 20 of the Y engaging ver 9, 24 is a spring terminally connected to a the arm 15 and to a bracket 25 on the conduit 8 and normally holding the arm 15 upon the arms 19 and 20 of the rocker, and 26 is a link preferably in the form of a flexible wire or cable, extending through an eye 27 on the dash 1 and terminally connected to the arm 15 and to the starter pedal 11.

Thus, with my invention, the construction and arrangement of parts is such that the valve 12'is closed when the lever 9 is in neutral position, and will therefore cut olf the supply of fuel to the carbureter 5. As a result the engine will continue to function until the fuel in the carbureter 5 and inthe lower portion of the conduit 8 (that portion between the enlargement 13 and the carbureter 5) is consumed, whereupon the engine will, through lack of fuel, automatically go dead or cease to operate, thereby eliminating any possibility of the occupant of the vehicle being overcome.

At times traffic or other special conditions might influence the operation of the engine when the lever 9 is in neutral long enough to exhaust the fuel supply in the carburetor Y and in the lower portion 30 of the conduit 8,

thereby causing the engine to stop operating. In this connection it will be noted that the lower portion 30 of the conduit 8 maybe made larger as desired so as to hold more fuel after the valve 12 has been cut off and thereby allow the engine to operate for a longer period. Thus the lower portion 30 of the conduit 8 constitutes a stand-pipe fuel supply for ap proximately 5, 10 or 15 minutes after the vehicle has been brought to a standstill with the gearshift lever 9 thereof in neutral.

However, if the engine should go dead while in traffic or while stopping for traffic lights, etc., for relatively long periods, the natural tendency of the driver is to step on the starter pedal 11 to cause the engine to operate, and in the present instance the connections including the cable 26 between the pedal 11 and the'arm 15 would cause the valve 12 to be opened so that fuel from the vacuum tank 6 could flow freely to the carburetor 5. In fact, it has been found as a result of tests that the engine can be started almost instantaneously when .the starter pedal 11. is depressed as described, and further that enough I fuel will be supplied to the carburetor while the pedal is depressed and the lever 92 is in neutral to enable the lever 9 to be shifted to of the car, the connections including the link- 'age 21, 22 and 23 between the lever 9 and rocker 16 causes the latter to move the arm 15 against the tension of the spring 24 to open the valve 12 and thereby permit fuel from.

the vacuum tank 6 to flow freely to the car buretor 5. In fact, this valve 12 will be held open by these parts as long as the lever 9 is in any position other than neutral. It will also be noted that movement of the rocker 16 either forwardly or rearwardly causes the arm 15 to be raised to open the valve, and when in this position the vehicle operates exactly as the present standard constructions on the market. However, as soon. as the lever 9 is returned to neutral position the spring 24; automatically returns the arm 15 and valve 12 to closed inoperative position.

Thus, from the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention possesses considerable utility and has many advantages. For instance, my device will reduce if not entirely eliminate accidental death from carbon monoxide or other deadly gases generated by internal combustion engines of motor vehicles. It will prevent an operator from leaving the engine of the vehicle running'for any great length of time after the'operator has left the vehicle, and this aside from the dangers of asphyxiation will tend to reduce accidents with children tampering with parts of the vehicles. It will also reduce gasoline consumption now wasted by many drivers of motor vehicles, particularly delivery trucks, who are inclined to let the engines of their vehicles run from starting time in the morning to quitting time at night. It will also reduce fire risk in automobiles since the valve 12 cuts off the supply of gas from the main supply tank to the carburetor and other fuel receiving parts of the engine.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention 'will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood'that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of means operable when said lever is in a predetermined position to automatically cut off the supply of fuel to the engine.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lot lever, of means operatively connected to said lever and operable when saidlever is in a predetermined position to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said englne, and a gearshift lcver, of a valve associated with said fuel supply means adapted to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine, and a connection between said valve and lever operable when said lever is in a predetermined position to actuate said valve to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of a valve associated with said fuel supply means and adapted to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine, an actuating member for said valve, and means operable by said lever for actuating said member.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of a valve associated with said fuel supply means and adapted to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine, an actuating member for said valve, and means including a rocker engaging said member operable by said lever for actuating said valve.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of a valve associated with said fuel supply means and adapted to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine, an actuating arm for said valve, a rocker for actuating said member, yieldable means normally holding said member in. engagement with said rocker and thereby holding said valve in closed position, and a connection between said rocker and lever operable when said lever is in one position to permit said rocker and arm to remain in engagement but operable when said lever is moved to another position to actuate said arm and open said valve.

7 In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, means for supplying fuel to said carburetor, a gearshift lever, and a starter pedal, of means for cutting off the supply of fuel to said carburetor, and actuating means for said last mentioned means including connections between said last mentioned means and gearshift lever and starter pedal respectively.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, means for supplying fuel to said engine including a conduit connected to said carburetor, a gearshift lever and a starter pedal, of means for cutting off'the supply of fuel to said engine including a valve in sai conduit, a connection between said valve and said lever operable when said lever is in a predetermined position to close said valve, and operable when said starter pedal is actuated to open said valve.

9. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a conduit for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of a connection between said lever and conduit including means operable when said lever is in a predetermined position to cut off the supply of fuel to the engine.

10. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, means for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of a valve associated with said supply means for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine, and a connection between said valve and lever operable by the latter to actuate the former.

. 11. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a conduit for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of means operable when said lever is in a predetermined position for cutting off the supply of fuel to the engine, including a spring actuated valve controlling the passage of fuel through the conduit, and an operating connection between said valve and lever.

12. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a conduit for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever, of means operable when said lever is in a predetermined position for cutting off the supply of fuel to the engine, including a spring actuated valve controlling thev passage of fuel through the conduit, an actuating arm for the valve, a rocker engaging the arm, and linkage terminally connected to the rocker and lever.

13. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a conduit for supplying fuel to said engine, and a gearshift lever. of means for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine including a spring actuated valve associated with the conduit, an actuating arm for the valve, a pivotally mounted element engaging the arm, and an operating connection between said element and lever.

14. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a conduit for supplying fuel to said engine. and a gearshift lever, of means for controlling the supply of fuel to the engine including a valve associated with the conduit, an actuating arm for the valve, a rocker, spring means holding the arm in engagement with the rocker, and an operating connection between said rocker and lever.

15. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, aconduit for supplying fuel to said engine, and a d earshift lever, of means for controlling the gupply of fuel to the engine including a valve associated with the conduit, an actuating member for the valve an operating connection between the mem er and lever operable when thelever is in an position other than neutral to'o en the va ve, and means associated with t e member for closing the valve.

- when the lever assumes neutral position.

16. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a conduit for supplying fuel to -said engine a gear shift lever, and a starter Pedal, of means for controlling the supply' o fuel to the engine including a valve associated with the conduit, an actuating member for the valve, an. operating connection between .the member and lever operable when the lever is in any position other than neutral to open the valve, means associated with the member for closing the valve when the lever assumes neutral, and an operating connection between said member and pedal for opening the valve 1 when the lever is in neutral position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' v ROY E. WING. 

